Spring 2005
The Provincial Grand Master for Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire, RW Bro Nicolas Hart has decided to retire on 30 June 2005. His successor is to be VW Bro Barrie Hall, presently the Deputy Provincial Grand Master whose appointment was announced at the March Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge. RW Bro Hart, who was installed on 7 October 1997, spoke about the need for more openness in his first address to Provincial Grand Lodge. He went on to say, "I believe that in order to make progress, let alone survive, we must change, but I also believe that the change must be gradual and careful". True to his word, the Provincial Grand Master encouraged us all to play a full part in our own communities and not to be afraid to acknowledge our membership of the Craft with pride. Looking back at his tenure of office, the Provincial Grand Master must be pleased that the Province continues in very good heart with 3 new lodges being consecrated - Webb Ellis, Grand Junction and the most recent, the Graham Milton Lodge for motorcyclists (pictured below!), together with a thriving membership clearly enjoying their Freemasonry. The major fund-raising event during his time in office was, of course, the 2002 Festival in favour of the Grand Charity which he recalls elsewhere in "Password". In the summer of the same year, the Provincial Grand Master played a very full part in the Freemasonry in the Community week at many events taking part across the Province, including an exhibition tent at the East of England Country Show. As part of his campaign on openness, the Provincial Grand Master set up the Communications Committee to help in publicising the Craft and the events that we host and support. Editorial responsibility for producing the "Password" and inviting local media to report on our activities were also entrusted to the new Committee. In retrospect, it was a brave decision to "let the Committee loose" and it says much about his trust in the brethren of his Province that he was willing to place his confidence in them. The PGM was astute enough to realise that changes in society were affecting Freemasonry and that we needed to reflect those changes in how we support our members. To that end, with the help of VW Bro Barrie Hall and his small committee, the Mentoring Scheme was produced and commended to all lodges in the Province. In his busy schedule, the Provincial Grand Master also managed to find time to be a member of the editorial board of new MQ magazine and to contribute his financial expertise as part of the working party reviewing the Festival system. As part of his busy schedule, he has spent literally thousands of hours in dedicated service to Freemasonry and has still found time to be an enthusiastic member of the Holy Royal Arch, Mark, Royal Ark Mariner, Royal and Select Masters, Rose Croix, Knights Templar and the Royal Order of Scotland. His membership of these degrees has cemented the good relationship with the Heads of Other Orders - a relationship that is widely envied in many other Provinces. This lead to the publication of a booklet about Other Orders that was made available to all brethren in the Province. Although it is a great honour to be a Provincial Grand Master, it carries with it a great weight of responsibilities, not the least of which is to support and encourage all Lodge members by regular visits. Those brethren who have met him personally, and that includes most of the members of the Province, will have found him "easy of address, steady and firm in principle and willing and able to undertake the management of the work". What more could we ask of our Provincial Grand Master? - he has been tireless in his inspired leadership and his work for the Province as well as in his numerous visits to other Provinces.
His last Provincial Grand Lodge as Provincial Grand Master, on 19 May 2005, will be a wonderful opportunity for the Province to say a heartfelt thank you to RW Bro Nic. - however before then, the editorial team at Password hope that all the brethren will join with them in expressing their appreciation for all his efforts over the past 8 years and wish him and Val a healthy and happy retirement.
N ew t a le n t a n d a f r e s h a p p r o a ch e n c o u r a g e d b y P G M ( s e e p a g e 2 )